Hello,
I agree that it may be better for the user if they don't have to worry about switching modes.
However, it may be nice for them to be able to save a configuration, so that they can restore
a preferred state if they mess around with the ordering.
If you would like to have some idea of states, so that the page will visibly look similar across
all portlets (locked and movable), instead of having a drop shadow appear at all times, it could
just show up when the mouse is over the title bar (to accompany the pointer change and other
indicators). This may make the portlet appear to jump of the page.
I hope I've understood what you both were saying and have responded appropriately.
Thanks
Justin
----- Original Message ----
From: "erin.yu at utoronto.ca" <erin.yu at utoronto.ca>
To: Colin Clark <colin.clark at utoronto.ca>
Cc: Justin Obara <infielder6 at yahoo.com>; fluid-work at fluidproject.org
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 3:06:32 AM
Subject: Re: User Testing the uPortal Layout Manager
I
like
those
ideas
too,
Justin.
it
probably
doesn't
mean
portlet
layout
changes
will
be
modal...
I
have
a
preference
for
keeping
it
non-modal,
because
it's
something
users
should
have
easy
access
to
anytime
they
want.
They
should
be
able
to
move
things
around
without
having
to
enter
a
mode.
I
think
providing
multiple
indicators
(grabby
hand,
4way
arrow
icon,
alt
text)
and
visually
distinguishing
movable/locked
portlets
would
sufficiently
indicate
to
the
users
which
portlets
can
be
moved
and
how.
For
it
to
be
modal,
we'd
have
to
make
sure
it's
very
discoverable,
obvious
when
you're
in
the
mode
and
how
to
get
out
of
it,
clear
that
you
can
only
do
certain
things
in
it.
On
another
note,
it's
so
helpful
how
the
user
testing
results
are
organized
on
the
wiki
page.
Good
practice
I
should
follow
:)
Erin
Quoting
Colin
Clark
<colin.clark at utoronto.ca>:
>Justin,
>>This
is
an
intruiging
idea.
So
to
make
this
work
,
are
you
thinking
>that
portlet
layout
changes
will
be
modal?
Would
the
user
invoke
a
>specific
mode
to
reorganize
portlets,
and
then
turn
it
off
again
to
go
>about
their
regular
business?
>>Colin
>>Quoting
Justin
Obara
<infielder6 at yahoo.com>:
>>>Hello,
>>>>Here
are
some
thoughts
that
I
had
on
the
usability
issues.
Not
sure
>>how
feasible
they
are,
but
thought
they
might
lead
to
some
good
ideas.
>>>>In
regards
to
helping
users
to
distinguish
which
portlets
are
>>movable
and
which
aren't,
user
2
suggested
changing
the
framing
of
>>the
movable
portlets.
>>>>What
may
be
one
option
is
to
make
the
movable
portlets
appear
to
>>float
above
the
screen
(e.g.
with
a
drop
shadow),
while
leaving
the
>>locked
>>portlets
flat
against
the
background.
This
might
help
the
user
>>realize
which
ones
are
movable
and
which
are
anchored
in
place.
>>>>>>In
regards
to
the
drop
target:
>>>>Part
of
the
issue
is
that
the
dragged
portlet
obscures
the
drop
>>target
indicator,
especially
when
the
title
bar
is
over
top
of
it.
>>>>Maybe,
in
addition
to
the
drop
target
appearing
the
styling
of
the
>>dragged
portlet
can
also
change
(e.g.
framed
in
green,
the
>>opacity
level
changed,
or
etc.)
>>>>Thanks
>>Justin
>>>>>>>>On
14-Feb-08,
Barbara
Glover
wrote:
>>>>Seems
I
forgot
the
all
important
link
:-)
>>http://wiki.fluidproject.org/display/fluid/Portlet+Layout+Manager
>>+Results
>>>>>Hi
all
>>>I
have
completed
4
user
tests
of
the
Portlet
Layout
Manager.
The
>>>results
are
at
this
link.
>>>>>>You
will
see
from
the
user
testing
that
people
are
having
troubles
>>>realizing
they
can
move
portlets
at
all.
>>>>>>Other
issues
we
need
to
address
in
the
design
are:
>>>>>>Locked
Portlets:
>>>-
how
to
convey
to
user
a
portlet
is
locked.
Cursor
change
is
not
>>>enough.
>>>-
where
should
a
"lock"
icon
be
placed?
Upper
left
corner
of
>>>titlebar
is
not
a
good
location.
>>>-
Tooltip
text
is
helpful
but
first
must
see
the
icon.
Could
move
>>>the
icon
to
the
middle
of
title
bar
or
to
the
right
corner.
>>>-
Tool
tip/hover
text
saying
"section
cannot
be
moved"
could
be
if
>>>they
hover
anywhere
on
title
bar
>>>-
Could
remove
title
bar
from
locked
portlets
as
Shaw-han
has
>>>suggested
>>>>>>Drop
target
indicators:
>>>-
green
bar
is
too
small
and
not
being
noticed
enough
>>>-
maybe
make
it
thicker
and
with
an
arrow
indicating
where
portlet
>>>will
go
>>>>>>These
are
the
big
usability
issues
found.
We
need
to
make
changes
>>>to
improve
these
usability
issues
before
the
portlet
layout
manager
>>>is
released.
Let's
have
a
discussion
early
next
week.
I
notice
>>>Gary
has
some
new
design
ideas
too.
>>>>>>Gary
we'd
love
to
have
you
participate
in
this
meeting.
What
are
>>>some
times
that
work
for
you?
>>>>>>Everyone
send
me
your
times
and
let's
get
rid
of
these
usability
>>>issues!
:-)
>>>>>>Suggested
time:
Wednesday,
Feb
20th
at
10am
PST
/
1pm
EST
>>>>>>thanks
>>>Barbara
>>>>>---
>Colin
Clark
>Technical
Lead,
Fluid
Project
>Adaptive
Technology
Resource
Centre,
University
of
Toronto
>http://fluidproject.org
>>_______________________________________________
>fluid-work
mailing
list
>fluid-work at fluidproject.org
>http://fluidproject.org/mailman/listinfo/fluid-work
>
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